Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Registration + Dopey Challenge

It’s about that time again! There is another runDisney event registration happening tomorrow and it’s going to be a blast.

Getting Registered

If you are interested in any of the events for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend be sure to set your watch for 12pm EST tomorrow. Make sure you have the runDisney website up and your refresh finger ready. Be sure you are logged into your Active.com account and wait it out when you get placed in the queue to register. Registration for the challenges always goes fast and you don’t want to be left out so make sure you have everything at hand.

If you are registering for someone else be sure to have all their information at the ready or sign in using their Active.com account information. I sometimes like to be on the phone with the Mr. or my mom if we are trying to get a couple of us registered. This makes things a lot less stressful and I always try to register for the longer distances first if I’m not planning to do a challenge.

I had so much fun at the Walt Disney World Marathon this year that I decided to register for the Dopey Challenge for next year’s race. That’s right; this girl will be running the 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon all on back to back days. I am so excited yet incredibly terrified!

After experiencing the race weekend this year, I knew I wanted to do the whole shebang so naturally I took full advantage of early registration through my annual pass last week. I also talked the Mr. into running the 5k and 10k with me, so we will really be making a full trip out of it.

I’ve done a number of runDisney events at Walt Disney World, but the energy at this race weekend is so different because of the marathon. The field is unique because there are a lot of newbie runners and a lot of seasoned runners trying to earn their Dopey Challenge medal all in the same weekend.

I love Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend and Wine & Dine was alright, but I am really excited about this race. The race is the first week of the New Year so the Christmas decorations are still up and everyone is still sort of in the holiday mode. The hotel rates are really reasonable during this time and the weather isn’t too bad either.

Now That You Are Registered

Hotel: You will absolutely want to stay on Disney property so you can take advantage of the Disney transportation system. Traffic is horrible race mornings and you don’t need the stress. Stay at a resort hotel and you won’t have to worry about driving anywhere. You can get to the expo, start and from the finish using the Disney transportation system. The sooner you book your hotel the cheaper the rate will be and the more selection you will have, so don’t wait!

Dining Reservations: Restaurants fill up quick on race weekends and many places in Disney Springs don’t accommodate a lot of walk ins. Think about what items you will want to eat before your big race and make reservations. As with most amusement parks, a lot of the food is not runner friendly if you don’t plan ahead. Disney offers so many healthy options and a lot of great places for prerace dinners, but you will want to get reservations booked.

Expo: Go ahead and start saving your pennies now folks! The registration fees are pricier than other races, but the expos are top notch. If you are a serious Disney fan be sure to save some money for the expo because there is so much to love there. There are lots of vendors so set aside some money for the goodies at the expo.

Transportation: Depending on where you live you may want to drive to Orlando so you have your car. It’s so easy to fly and Disney takes care of you from the airport to your Disney resort, but on long trips it can be nice to have to option to get away from the parks for a bit. We sometimes like to get away for a more quiet dinner or meet up with FL friends and having our car makes that a bit easier. Also, most Disney resort rooms come with a mini fridge which is perfect for a long race weekend. We usually always bring food or hit the grocery store on the way to the hotel.

Call me crazy but I am really excited to push myself to run all the races back to back! I think it is going to be an unforgettable experience and I’m ready. I will undoubtedly have to be Dopey to finish. 🙂

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Meet Alaina

Tennessee girl living in a Georgia world. My love for healthy living runs deep just like my Southern roots. I am an avid marathoner looking for the sweet life in nearly everything. Now come on over and sit a spell. Read More…